Two killed in Crimea as crisis hits 'military stage'

Ukraine warned on Tuesday its conflict with Russia had entered a "military stage" and authorised its troops to shoot in self-defence after both sides suffered their first casualites since pro-Kremlin forces seized Crimea nearly three weeks ago.

The dramatic escalation to the raging security crisis on the EU's eastern frontier came hours after President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty claiming Crimea as Russian territory after the Black Sea region overwhelmingly voted in favour of switching from Ukrainian to Kremlin rule.

. . .

Regional defence ministry spokesman Vladislav Seleznyov told AFP the Ukrainian soldier had died after being shot in the neck when a group of gunmen stormed a military base in the northeast of Crimea's main city of Simferopol.

Seleznyov said another soldier was wounded but did not specify whether the base was stormed by Russian soldiers or pro-Kremlin militia who also patrol the peninsula.

[Ukraine warned on Tuesday its conflict with Russia had entered a "military stage" and authorised its troops to shoot in self-defence after both sides suffered their first casualites since pro-Kremlin forces seized Crimea nearly three weeks ago.

The dramatic escalation to the raging security crisis on the EU's eastern frontier came hours after President Vladimir Putin signed a treaty claiming Crimea as Russian territory after the Black Sea region overwhelmingly voted in favour of switching from Ukrainian to Kremlin rule.

. . .

Regional defence ministry spokesman Vladislav Seleznyov told AFP the Ukrainian soldier had died after being shot in the neck when a group of gunmen stormed a military base in the northeast of Crimea's main city of Simferopol.

Seleznyov said another soldier was wounded but did not specify whether the base was stormed by Russian soldiers or pro-Kremlin militia who also patrol the peninsula.

Click to expand...

Ben K. said:

Where does it say snipers shot at both sides?

Click to expand...

Demon of Light said:

Ah, it said this in other news reports. Of course, it would be implied from the statement in the article that the shots that killed both men were fired from the same building. Hard to shoot people in the neck from a building unless you are a sniper.

Click to expand...